Serving a huge range of healthy, freshly cooked food at breakfast, break and lunchtimes – from traditional British roast dinners to world cuisine – students are spoiled for choice. Cucina even offer an after-school ‘take-away’ service providing freshly cooked roast chickens or delicious pizzas for students to take home and share with their families.
Free School Meals
Leigh Academy Minster processes all Free School Meals Applications.
Before you apply you will need to have the following information to hand:
- Your own name and date of birth
- Contact details
- National Insurance Number or National Asylum Seekers Number
- Child’s name and date of birth
- School your child is attending/ will attend.
Once submitted, parents/ carers are informed whether or not an application has been successful and if the child is eligible this will automatically be sent to the Academy. If the form states the student is not eligible and it is thought to be an error, parents/ carers need to contact the Academy.
All of the Academy’s meals meet the government’s food standards, which means they are healthy and nutritious.
If your application is not approved, but you receive one of the following benefits:
- Universal Credit (provided you have an annual net earned income of no more than £7,400, as assessed by earnings from up to three of your most recent assessment periods)
- Income Support
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
- The guarantee element of Pension Credit
- Child Tax Credit (provided you’re not also entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual gross income of no more than £16,190)
- Working Tax Credit run-on – paid for four weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit
Please contact the academy at: info@minster.latrust.org.uk with evidence of one or more of the above.
FAQ’s about Free School Meals
All students will use their ParentPay account to access their free school meal entitlement, with this automatically added to the system each day to be used at lunch time using our biometric system. Other students will not know if another student receives Free School Meals using this approach.
Students are able to use their FSM entitlement at breaktime and lunchtime. Leigh Academy Minster provides all students with a free breakfast of porridge in the academy restaurant from 8am till 8.25am each day.
Students are able to purchase a main meal and drink, or a hot/cold large snack item and drink. Following student feedback we have now expanded this item to also include items such as hot pasta pots and jacket potatoes and a selection of sides. Students also have the option to choose 4 items from the ‘Blue Dot Deal’ which offers them a selection of a sandwich roll, jelly, fruit and a drink. Students are not permitted to buy multiple cakes or sweet items in replacement of items stated above.
We have recently received a number of inquiries from parents regarding unexpected charges on student accounts. We would like to take this opportunity to clarify the Free School Meal process:
- Free School Meal Entitlement: The daily allowance covers a standard meal deal or specific items within the FSM threshold as listed above.
- Additional Charges: If students choose to purchase items that are not within the FSM entitlement (such as extra snacks, premium drinks, or second portions), these items will incur a cost.
In these instances, parents and carers will be charged for the balance. We encourage you to discuss this with your child to ensure they are aware of what is included in their daily allowance. There are also many signs displayed in the restaurant area to show and remind students of their entitlement, with our restaurant team also reminding students of this at the tills.
Yes, as the FSM entitlement is added separately. This means that students can use money any time on their account to purchase any additional items not stated in the above at breakfast, break or lunch times. To help you keep track of spending and ensure you aren’t surprised by charges, all individual purchases are itemised and viewable within your ParentPay account.